UPDATE AT 5:53 pm ET May 19
The Michigan DNRE announced this afternoon that 12 homes have been destroyed and 2 damaged in the Meridian Boundary fire. It is 65% contained. The size is still being reported to be 7,520 acres. The evacuation order is expected to remain in effect at least until Thursday.
The Range 9 Fire at the National Guard’s Camp Grayling in Kalkaska County has burned about 1,200 acres and it was contained at 9 p.m. Tuesday night. The cause, according to a spokeswoman from the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs was a “controlled pre-burn” which got out of control. We have never heard of a “controlled pre-burn”, but judging from the context in information provided by the military, a “pre-burn” appears to be a prescribed burn. They conduct an average of 20 pre-burns each year at Camp Grayling. MORE INFORMATION.
Meridian Boundary fire, May 18, 2010. Photo: Mich. DNRE Fire Officer Randy McKenzie
The Meridian fire in Crawford County in northern Michigan east of Grayling has burned 7,520 acres and destroyed ten homes. The areas that were evacuated on Tuesday are still under evacuation orders.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment said debris burning was the cause of the fire.
Here is a video report from WJRT:
The Range 9 Fire at Camp Grayling property in Kalkaska County is about 75 percent contained. Four mobile homes have been lost. Last night the fire was about 900 acres.
We posted a map of the Meridian fire.
